Everybody Is Irish Today, Especially At The Local Bars

In a state full of Italian restaurants a smattering of Irish pubs revel in a day when all the focus is on them.

Even the Irish can be forgiven for being somewhat confused about the official schedule since many of the parades and celebrations were held last Saturday, a concession to the challenge of fitting the revelry into a weekday.

On the East Greenwich waterfront, Harbourside Lobstermania doesn’t officially open until April, but unlocked the doors for a St. Patrick’s event on Saturday.  It’s a good day for them and apparently worth gearing up just for the one day.  They’re not sure what they will do in 2012 when St. Patrick’s Day lands on a Friday, but might make it a two day event.

It is a different story at McKinley’s Irish Pub next to Norton’s Marina on the waterfront.  Owner John Butler says St. Patrick’s day is one of his best days of the year and is celebrated on the calendar date.  Customers down generous servings of corned beef and cabbage and plenty of Irish beer. 

“It’s our own patch of green,” he said.   Some of the patrons were warming up as early as Saturday, wearing special green clothing that apparently is brought out only once a year.

Fat Belly’s, which now has locations in Wakefield and Providence as well as East Greenwich and Potowomut, has had a clock on their website counting down the hours and minutes until today.

It’s also one of their biggest days, when they open at 9:00 am in East Greenwich and noon on Forge Road.  Wakefield opens at 9:00 am while Providence opens at 8:00 am for an Irish breakfast.

In addition to their wide selection of beer, all four locations will focus on a limited menu of traditional Irish favorites like corned beef and cabbage, Reuben sandwiches and a Guiness beef stew.  And all four locations will have live music.

Even restaurants without Irish names will do their best to entice the real and wannabee Irish.  At the Grille on Main, the official celebration starts at 8:00 pm, with live music at 10:00.  And during the evening some lucky customer will win a prize appropriate to the day, a pair of Celtics tickets.

Saint Patrick, by the way, is the patron saint of Ireland, who died on March 17^th of 460 AD.  The anniversary of his death has evolved over the years into a day when a huge part of the world enjoys celebrating their Irishness.